by Yossi Carmil, Co-CEO, Cellebrite*
Previously, I touched on the challenges law enforcement (LE) would face heading into the coronavirus pandemic and how agency managers would need to pivot to an entirely new mode of operation. Now that infection curves are flattening in many areas, discussions have turned to how agencies will help maintain the vitality of their communities as they face new challenges.
Today’s new normal will present different pressures depending on which region of the world you work and live in. Individual countries will face challenges that come from different sectors, such as federal, state, and local governments. Different crime types are also emerging and the toll of the Coronavirus on law enforcement resources has left agencies at different response levels depending on how hard they were impacted. We are already seeing some examples of how criminals are adapting in today’s environment.
Across the world, there has been a surge in cybercrimes (online scams, fraud, and account hacking) as millions of people have turned to the Internet to handle everything from bank transactions to online shopping. With large numbers of children spending more time online, sexual predators are more active and reported child-exploitation cases have seen an increase.
Domestic violence cases are also up across the globe. These numbers are predicted to rise even higher once stay-at-home restrictions are lifted and victims can actively seek help from the authorities without fear of retribution.
Working in these challenging environments has forced agencies to look at how they can apply their existing digital intelligence solutions to respond to threats on multiple fronts, maximize resources, reduce case backlogs, and operate more efficiently.
As I speak to many agencies across the globe, I thought it would be helpful to share some of the insights from our communities as we recover.
The Global Impact
Due to the rapid onset, no one was fully prepared for the initial impact of this pandemic. Governments simply had no idea what they were up against and were not fully prepared to support on an operational level. Lack of protocols and PPE to protect officers at the outset of the pandemic quickly decimated police ranks worldwide as many officers were either forced to quarantine or fell victim to the virus itself.
In the UK, for example, 40% of the police force were impacted by the virus or their work role significantly changed. Thinning police ranks forced many law enforcement agencies to redeploy members of their investigative units to support the declining number of patrol officers available for general police duties. This put investigations in a slow-down and has added to investigative case backlogs that were already under stress.
Massive unemployment and subsequent tax revenue losses have the potential to turn law enforcement budgets upside down – forcing them to spend their budget on unplanned items. This blow has been particularly visible in Latin American countries where the economic shutdown caused massive currency devaluations, reducing the purchasing power of existing budgets by 50%. How this will play out going forward is yet to be determined as governments begin to look at creative ways to supplement fiscal budgets moving forward with stimulus packages.
Law enforcement worldwide has done a remarkable job of adapting to the changing landscape and keeping communities safe in recent months, but regional challenges have surfaced, making a tough job even more difficult.
In the Asia-Pacific region, where, in places like Singapore, commodities trading is a multi-billion-dollar business, corporate crimes are suddenly identifiable due to the reduced trading volumes. With the businesses coming to a slowdown and even a halt, cases of corruption are quickly spotted as more companies are forced to restructure or begin bankruptcy procedures.
In Latin America, narcotics use in urban areas is up and drug trafficking is on the rise. With law enforcement focusing its attention on major cities, border security has been a secondary priority in many areas. Criminals are taking advantage of lax surveillance and are turning to old-school smuggling tactics.
In the U.S., there is not a one-size-fits all plan to reopen communities, leaving individual state (and even county) officials to make difficult decisions on timing, budget, and how local agencies will play a supporting role. The UK is facing similar challenges with the government pushing to reopen while officials in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland insist on remaining locked down. The unique timeline in which the virus spread has left various regions in different states of reopening, providing gaps in our collective defenses that criminals are now starting to exploit.
Conclusion
While none of us can predict what will ultimately happen as society begins to recover, one bright spot has emerged from all the disruption. Every night, citizens around the world are recognizing your efforts by applauding and shouting their support for first responders. There is no doubt that our communities respect and appreciate the job frontline responders have done to save lives and keep us safe in these uncertain times. Many Cellebrite digital intelligence solutions or services you already have can be used to help assist with the challenges you are now facing. You are the heroes in this story, and we applaud your bravery and self-sacrifice. At Cellebrite, we will never stop supporting you as we continue to innovate and find better ways to make a safer world.
*Editor’s note: This is the second in a three-part series about the current state of law enforcement due to the pandemic and how to best leverage forensic technology in this time of crisis. The first part is available here, and the third and final article—covering the top issues/topics agency managers should be tracking as they move into a post-COVID-19 environment—will be published soon.
Yossi Carmil is the Co-Chief Executive Officer of Cellebrite and serves on the company’s board of directors. He brings more than 20 years of experience in executive leadership, global sales, and business development. Prior to joining Cellebrite, Yossi held a senior business strategy consulting role at Bain and Company and served as the VP of Commercial for Siemens LTD.